February 15 - Day of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Memorial Day for Soldiers-Internationalists

Russians every year celebrate this date - February 15, the day the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. In 1989, the government of the Soviet Union finally withdrew a limited contingent of troops from the territory of the state. This terrible war, which was initially silent, brought grief and pain to many families.

Nearly a decade

The Afghan war for the Soviet people lasted ten years. For our military, it began in 1979, on December 25, when the first soldiers were abandoned in Afghanistan. Then the newspapers did not write about this, and the soldiers who served in Afghanistan were forbidden to tell their relatives where they were and what they were doing. And only in 1989, on February 15, the territory of this eastern country was completely abandoned by the Soviet troops. It was a real holiday for our country.

In a terrible and bloody war was put a fat point. And in the Soviet Union, and later in the Russian Federation and the states - the former republics of the Land of Soviets, began to celebrate on February 15. The day of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is not only an occasion to pay tribute to those who died in that terrible war. This is also a sign that it is necessary to care for those who went through a senseless and unnecessary war, which lasted almost 3 thousand 340 days. Longer than the Great Patriotic War.

Fateful April

The world progressive public has long called on the Soviet Union to withdraw its military from Afghanistan. All these demands began to grow louder within the country itself. Negotiations lasted long and hard. In April 1988, a certain clarity was achieved. On this day in Switzerland, with the direct participation of representatives of the United Nations , the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan and Afghanistan signed the so-called Geneva agreements. They talked about resolving the unstable situation in Afghanistan.

Under these arrangements, the Soviet Union was ordered to withdraw a limited contingent of its troops within 9 months. This was a truly fateful decision.

The very withdrawal of troops began in May 1988. And the final date for the end of the Afghan war came in 1989. February 15 is the day of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the day when the last Soviet soldier left the territory of the country for ever. This is a significant date in the history of our state.

For their part, the United States of America and Pakistan, according to the Geneva agreements, had to cease providing any support to the Mujahideen. True, this condition was constantly violated.

Role of Gorbachev

If earlier the Soviet government had focused on the power option for solving the Afghan problem, then after Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the USSR, the tactics were radically changed. The political vector has changed. Now, the policy of national reconciliation has become the cornerstone.

This was the only way to get out of the protracted conflict. Agree, convince, do not shoot!

Najibullah Initiatives

In late 1987, the leader of Afghanistan was Mohammad Najibullah.

He developed a very progressive program for the cessation of hostilities. He offered to move to dialogue and stop shooting, to release guerrillas and those who were opponents of the regime from prisons. He suggested that all sides seek a compromise. But the opposition did not go on such concessions, the Mujahideen wanted to fight until the end. Although ordinary fighters strongly supported the option of truce. They threw their weapons and returned with joy to peaceful work.

It is worth noting that the initiatives of Najibullah did not please the US and other Western countries at all. They were aimed at continuing the fighting. As Colonel-General Boris Gromov recounts in his memoirs, his units only intercepted 417 caravans with weapons from July to December 1988. They were sent to the Mujahideen from Pakistan and Iran.

But still common sense prevailed, and the decision that Soviet troops must leave Afghanistan to their homeland became final and irrevocable.

Our losses

Since then, on February 15, the Memorial Day of the soldiers who died in the Afghan war is celebrated at the state level in all the republics of the former Soviet Union, whose citizens were killed in Afghanistan. And the losses in this senseless battle were considerable. The cargo-200 has become a habit for many cities of the Soviet Union. More than 15 thousand of our guys in the prime of life were killed in Afghanistan. At the same time, the Soviet Army suffered the greatest losses . 14,427 people were killed at the fronts and disappeared without a trace. Also counted dead 576 people who served in the State Security Committee and 28 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. February 15 is a day of remembrance of these guys, those who met their last hour on the distant Afghan land, who never managed to say goodbye to their mothers and loved ones.

Many servicemen returned from that war with the undermined health. According to official statistics, more than 53,000 people were injured, concussion and various injuries. They celebrate every year on February 15. The day of the internationalist warrior is an opportunity to meet with fellow soldiers, those with whom a soldier's ration was shared and sheltered from the heavy fire in the gorges, with whom they went to scout and fought against "spirits."

Hundreds of thousands of missing Afghans

The huge losses in the course of this war were borne by the people of Afghanistan. There is still no official statistics on this matter. But, as the Afghans themselves say, hundreds of thousands of their compatriots perished from bullets and shells during the hostilities, many were missing. But the most terrible thing is that huge losses among civilians happened just after our troops left. Today in this country there are about 800 thousand disabled people who were injured during the Afghan war.

Difficulty of care

February 15, the Day of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, in Russia and other former Soviet republics is celebrated as a national holiday. Still, for mothers and fathers there was nothing better than to know that their son would not be sent to serve in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, in 1989, when the troops were withdrawn, the military leadership experienced great difficulties. On the one hand, the Mujahideen resisted in every possible way. Knowing that on February 15 (the day of the withdrawal of the Soviet troops) - the date is final, they stepped up military operations. They wanted to show the whole world how the Soviet soldiers are running, how they throw their wounded and killed. They fired indiscriminately to prove their superiority.

On the other hand, the Kabul leadership was well aware that without the help of the Soviet army the country would have to be very tight, and also by certain actions, the withdrawal of troops was hampered.

Ambiguously, some public figures reacted to the idea of withdrawing troops in the Soviet Union itself. They believed that after so many years of war it was impossible to capitulate and leave without victory. This was equated with defeat. But only those who could never hide from bullets could argue, they did not lose their comrades. As Boris Gromov, the commander of the 40th Army in Afghanistan, recalls, this war was of no use to anyone. She did not give our country absolutely anything, except for colossal human losses and great grief.

This date - February 15, Afghanistan Day, for our country has become truly tragic. But at the same time, this February day was the final point in this senseless ten-year war.

Holiday with tears

February 15, Afghan Day - solemn and sad, he always passes with tears in his eyes and with pain in his heart. The mothers of those who have not returned from the Afghan war are still alive. Stand in the front line of the men who in those years were boys and did not understand what they were fighting for. Many are left of those who returned from that war not only with crippled souls, but also with upturned fates.

Our people piously honors the feat of those who carried out the state order, risking their lives and health. This war is our pain and our tragedy.

Every year on February 15 - a day of remembrance of those who gave their military duty, not having sworn an oath.